Little Miss Mature
by FrankenFaust
Summary: Francine worries about being left behind when Muffy starts acting more "mature." Completed.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All hail Marc Brown, creator of the Arthur series.

* * *

A/N: This story is partially based on a real one. My childhood friends and I used to really like watching Arthur. Whenever they come to mind I usually think of this cartoon, so it felt appropriate to recreate part of our friendship together through its characters…

Muffy stared into the shop window, a smirk spreading its way across her face.

"No, not again. We're gonna miss the movie!" Francine complained.

"Oh, this'll only take a minute." Entering the shop, Muffy pulled at the fingers of her gloves and shoved them into her pocket. "Just look at this dress!" she said, feeling its material with one hand while holding it up with the other. "And it's silk, I _knew_ it,"

"Don't you think that's a little _mature_?" Francine wrinkled her nose. "You're only 14."

"But I'll be 15 next month. And let's be honest, my fashion sense has always been a little ahead of its time. I'm gonna try it on!" the redhead insisted as she breezed past her friend and into one of the fitting rooms. Francine waited outside impatiently, wondering if all the good seats in the theatre were taken. "It's perfect!" she heard Muffy say as the fitting room door opened up and she stepped out.

Francine's eyes widened.

"Muffy!" she exclaimed before slapping a hand over he mouth. She hadn't meant to say it so loud, but that was just her way sometimes. "Muffy, that is _way_ too short. And look at the neckline. I don't care how much fashion sense you have. Common sense should tell you that a girl your age doesn't need to show that much cleavage. Not unless you want your dad to kill you!"

"Who says he has to know about it?" Muffy scoffed while turning to get a look at her backside in the mirror. "He doesn't know about the mini skirt I'm wearing to the movies today," she shrugged and went back into the dressing room. "I'm buying it."

Shaking her head, Francine knew that her pleas had fallen on deaf ears. It wasn't like she considered herself to be perfect. She wasn't a straight A student, she broke her curfew at least once a week, and sometimes she yelled things to her parents that she wished she hadn't. But as they got older, it seemed as if Muffy was crossing the line in ways that Francine had never even considered.

Up at the register, the cashier rung up Muffy's new blue dress.

"That'll be $94.99 please." The girl handed over her debit card and waited for authorization to complete itself. Francine rolled her eyes at the way her friend seemed to just blow her money. Tearing the receipt away from the register as it finished printing, the cashier placed it in the bag with Muffy's dress.

"Thanks," the girl smiled, throwing her long hair over one shoulder. "Alright, let's go."

"Finally," Francine grumbled.

* * *

"What took you guys so long?" asked Arthur. He and Buster had been waiting at the movie threatre for nearly half hour. Then he noticed the shopping bag in Muffy's hand. "Oh, no wonder," he rolled his eyes.

They were just in time to catch a couple of pre-views before the actual movie started. It was the very last installment of the Henry Screever series and anybody who was anybody had to see it. So when Muffy left the movie to use the bathroom, but didn't come back for a long time, Francine was understandably concerned. After twenty minutes, she went looking for her friend.

"Muffy?" the girl asked after finding her in the lobby talking to Binky and Rattles.

"Oh, hey, Francine. Look who's here," she smiled, twirling a lock of red hair between her fingers.

"What's up Frensky?" asked Binky. Rattles just gave her a nod.

"Nothing…uh, Muffy, you're missing the movie. Is everything okay?"

"Sure," the other girl shrugged.

"Alright, Muffler," Rattles jabbed her in the arm playfully, "We gotta split. Take care, you guys."

"Okay. Call me later with directions to the party."

"Will do."

"Nice seeing you again, Frensky," Binky said before lowering his sunglasses and exiting the theatre with his friend.

"Yeah, sure," Francine smiled weakly. She waited until the two boys were out of earshot to start talking again. "You still talk to Rattles? I thought your dad said he wasn't cool with that anymore."

"What does _he_ know?" Muffy practically snarled. "Anyway," her voice sweetened. "Did you notice the way Binky kept trying to get your attention? I could give him your phone number if you want me to. You guys would make such a hot couple."

"What? No way, Binky has a pretty bad reputation these days and I'm not really allowed to date yet. Besides, you know that I have a crush on Arthur," Francine's face reddened bashfully.

"That loser? Binky has a _car_, Francine, and so does Rattles. What does Arthur have? Don't tell me your okay with him taking you to the junior prom on his bike," Muffy laughed. "Don't be such a child."

Francine frowned, wondering if maybe she wasn't acting grown up enough. She sometimes wondered if it might ruin their friendship.

"Yeah…I'm sure you're right," she said. "Let's just go finish the movie."

* * *

Francine was quiet on the way home from the theatre. She stared out the window of Muffy's limo in a slump.

"Let's listen to some music," the other girl said. She couldn't stand the silence. The voice of a familiar Saturday night DJ came onto the radio once she turned it on.

"This is KRZR, Elwood City's best Pop-Rock station. My name is DJ Romeo. Call me with your requests!"

Muffy suddenly squealed clasping her hands together.

"He has such a sexy voice. I have such a crush on him!" she said suddenly.

"On who, the radio guy? How do you even know what he looks like?" asked Francine.

"I got to go to the station once with my dad when his dealership decided to air a commercial promoting his business. We were just there to sign some papers and stuff, but I started wandering around and I saw DJ Romeo in the studio before someone finally caught me."

"Well…what did he look like?"

"Oh, I dunno. I just saw the back of his head. But I also saw that he had a tattoo on his arm. Isn't that sooo hot?"

"I guess," Francine shrugged.

"Sometimes I call in, ya know."

"Yeah, me too. Last night I requested—,"

"No," Muffy interrupted. "I don't call to request anything. I just stay on the line with him for a while."

"What do you guys talk about?" the other girl suddenly straightened up.

"Just relationships and stuff." Francine's eyes widened. "What? It's nothing bad. I mostly just tell him about how I like Rattles, that I like older guys in general. He says I sound sophisticated, that I talk like I'm his age."

"His age? How old is this guy?"

"He's…24."

"And he's okay talking to a 14 year old?"

"No…he thinks I'm 16."

"That's not much better, Muffy. This sounds like trouble. I'd stop talking to him if I were you."

"Relax, it's not like we're gonna start dating or anything."

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted.

"Now approaching your apartment building, Ms. Frensky," Bailey said through the intercom. The limo came to a slow and she climbed out.

"See you at school tomorrow," Muffy said after rolling down the window. He friend nodded and watched as the vehicle pulled away from the curb.

Feeling overwhelmed, Francine went to bed early that night.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" he mother asked after poking a head into the girl's room.

"Nothing," her daughter answered, but that was a lie. She was worried about Muffy. Something about her behavior made the girl feel uneasy. It was times like this when she wished that Katherine still lived at home. She really needed someone to talk to; someone who wasn't a parental figure and wouldn't freak out about what she had to say. "I'm just tired, that's all. Goodnight, Mom."

"Night, Frankie."

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All hail Marc Brown, creator of the Arthur series.

* * *

The next week, Francine was busy painting her toenails when her cell phone began to ring. She didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Frensky."

"Binky?"

"Yeah, Muffy gave me your number. I hope that's okay."

"Uh, sure," Francine rolled her eyes. "So what's up?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to come to Rattle's party."

"No. I wasn't invited."

"That's why I called, dufus," Binky teased. "You should go with me. It's on Saturday night."

"Oh. I dunno…"

"You don't have to answer right now. 'Just thought I'd give you a heads up in case you were interested."

"Alright, uhm, thanks. I gotta go, okay?" Francine hung up the phone thoughtfully. If Rattles was throwing a party, that meant it was going to be rough. But she couldn't help wondering from time to time if she should start acting more like Muffy, more _sophisticated_; whatever that meant.

"…_Don't be such a child…"_ Francine could still hear the other girl say in her mind. It wasn't the first time her friend had said that to her either. After a moment's pause, she grabbed the phone and dialed Binky's number.

"Hello?" the boy answered.

"I'll do it, Binky. I'll go with you to the party."

"Cool! Pick you up around 6:30?"

"Sure, 6:30 it is."

"Hop in," Binky insisted, unlocking the passenger side door with a button on his armrest. Francine climbed inside of the car. He looked at her up and down before laughing to himself. "Only you…" he trailed off.

"Only _me_, what?"

"Could pull off wearing a pair of combat boots with a skirt."

"Oh," the girl smiled. "I gotta be back by 10:00, alright?"

"Yeah, no problem. I've got work tomorrow, so I'm leaving the party early anyway."

"You have a _job_?"

"Duh! How do you think I'm able to afford this car? Gas isn't cheap, ya know. And it doesn't hurt to work in a mechanic's shop. That's a big plus."

"So what kind of engine does this thing have?"

"V6," Binky smirked. "You know about cars?"

"Maybe a little," Francine shrugged. "My dad teaches me a lot."

"You're alright, Frensky," the boy nodded. "You're alright…"

* * *

Music could already be heard blasting from inside once they pulled up to the curb at Rattles' house. A few people were lingering around the front door, smoking cigarettes and laughing with each other. Francine felt uncomfortable at first, but sticking with Binky made things a lot less scary. Her only regret was not being able to find Muffy.

"Where _is_ that girl?" she asked herself. Then she saw her. Muffy was standing against the wall with Rattles, casually lifting a plastic red cup to her mouth for a sip.

After noticing Francine, Muffy waved to her and walked over.

"I'm so glad you decided to come! It's okay that I gave Binky your number, right? Has he been nice to you?"

"Yeah, he's been cool…So is Rattles your date tonight? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I've seen him talking with a lot of other girls too."

"Rattles? No. I'm so over him. I thought I told you that I'm into Romeo now."

"Romeo? Oh, you mean DJ Romeo?" Francine rolled her eyes with amusement. "He's just some guy from the radio. You'll never meet him."

"Oh, really?" Muffy asked with a smug grin. "Then how come he asked me to meet him tonight?"

"What? Okay, now this is going way too far. It's one thing to have a crush on this guy, but meeting up with him? That crosses the line!"

Suddenly, someone changed the music and a familiar dance song began playing.

"Oh, I love this song!" Muffy squealed as an older boy came up and grabbed her by the waist.

"Let's dance!" he said.

"Here, hold my drink," the redhead handed over her cup to Francine. The other girl just watched as her friend had a good time dancing, laughing, and acting carelessly. Francine hated the fact that she cared so much, but Muffy was her best friend. How could she not?

Looking around at everyone else who seemed to be having a good time, Francine started to feel bad. Was she really just being uptight? If everybody else could manage to have fun, maybe it was time to loosen up a bit. The girl sighed. Her best friend was off partying the night away while she just stood in the middle of the room, looking like a dork.

"Cool party," said a voice from behind her.

"Huh?" Francine replied as she whipped around to see who was talking to her. "Oh, Arthur. It's you," she blushed.

"I said, cool party," he repeated and took a sip from his cup.

"Yeah," Francine nodded, taking a sip from the cup in her hand out of nervousness then, grimaced after remembering that it wasn't actually hers. But at least the punch tasted better than what she had expected.

"Hey, wanna go sit up on the roof and talk? It's mostly flat up there."

Francine blinked. Muffy seemed safe for the moment, the punch wasn't bad, and now her crush wanted to spend time with her. Maybe this party wasn't turning out to be so bad after all.

"Sure. Let's go!

There were a few other kids on the roof, but everyone seemed to be minding their own business. So Francine felt as if she and Arthur were enjoying a very private moment as they gazed up at the darkening sky. It was sort of romantic.

"Fool moon tonight," the girl said. "They said strange things can happen under a fool moon…" She was hoping that superstition was true. She was hoping that Arthur might kiss her.

"Francine…" Arthur began slowly. "I brought you up here for a reason. I wanna talk to you about something important. I have a question for you."

"Okay," she responded, but in her head she was saying _"Yes, yes, of course I'll go out with you!"_ Here they were, under the stars, alone…sort of, and Arthur was acting nervous, acting strange. Francine looked up at the moon and smiled. "What is it, Arthur?"

"I have a crush on someone, but I don't know how to tell her."

"Do I know this person?" the girl asked and tried to disguise the smirk on her face by quickly swallowing a large gulp of more punch.

"Yeah."

"Really. Hmm… tell me about her."

"Well, she's really fun and outgoing. I guess she's kinda tomboyish, but that's okay with me. Oh, and her hair always smells really good. It's kinda short and playful, I just wanna drag my fingers through it."

Francine turned to face Arthur directly. For some reason she was feeling more daring than usual.

"I know who you're talking about," the girl said softly. "And it's okay, she likes you too."

"Francine…Would you mind if I—,"

"Not at all," Francine shook her head. Impulsively, she closed her eyes and leaned in, only to feel Arthur's pant leg brush across her face. Her eyes opened quickly. He was standing up. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm gonna talk to Molly," Arthur explained, looking confused as to why Francine didn't seem to already understand that.

"Oh, right, right…I knew that," the girl nodded. "Yeah, I was just checking. Go ahead."

As soon as Arthur left, Francine broke down into tears. Molly? He had been talking about Molly? She was feeling upset and lonely and her head was swimming. She took one last sip of punch before angrily tossing the empty cup off of the roof.

"Hey!" called a stray voice from down below.

"Sorry," she mumbled, curling up into a ball and slowly feeling herself fall asleep.

* * *

"Frensky! Wake up, Frensky…"

The sensation of cold water being splashed on her face brought Francine back into consciousness. Then a dry paper towel wiped her wet skin. She tried to sit up, but she felt dizzy.

"Are you okay to walk?" asked a voice. It was Binky.

"I guess."

"Just hang onto me, okay?"

Binky led the two of them off of the roof carefully.

Once they were on the ground floor, Francine felt herself wobble around.

"What's wrong with me? Why do I feel so...so…"

"Drunk?" Binky provided. "Somebody must have spiked your drink. Who made it for you?"

"It wasn't really mine," the girl shrugged. "How long was I unconscious for?"

"Not long. I came up on the roof to pound whoever hit me in the head with a cup, but then I saw that it was you. You were only passed out for like ten minutes tops, before I finally found a way to wake you up."

"That damn, Muffy…" Francine said under her breath while dragging a hand through her hair. Her friend had obviously been drinking the spiked punch all night with no problems. What else was she doing that she shouldn't be?

"Have you seen, Muffy?" Francine asked with a sigh.

"Yeah, but she left like half an hour ago. 'Said she had to meet up with some guy at a coffee shop down the street."

"What? Oh, no!"

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I need to find that coffee shop, Binky," the girl began to swear frantically. "It's a long story, but—,"

"You can tell me on the way there," the older boy said while digging the car keys out of his jacket. "C'mon, let's go find her."

TBC...


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All hail Marc Brown, creator of the Arthur series.

* * *

"One mocha latte!" the barista called out. Muffy accepted the drink and found herself a free table in the back of the coffee shop. From there she could keep an eye on the front door; at least until a very large woman with a floppy hat began blocking her view outside, but just as soon as the woman moved a man parking his bike started blocking her view of the sidewalk. Then he moved, only to be replaced by a couple of teenagers making out. "Move already!" she said to herself.

"Hello," said a man in faded black jeans and a tired looking Rock n' Roll shirt. It was the same guy with the bike outside.

"Yes?" the girl asked smugly. What the hell could this loser possibly want from her?

"Are you Alice?"

"Uhm, yeah…" Muffy answered then, instantly hated herself for doing so.

"It's me, DJ Romeo."

"Oh…" Muffy had purposely given him her middle name when they talked on the phone. She did it for several reasons A. playing around with her identity was fun B. It was easier for most people to remember and say correctly C. In case she wasn't impressed by what she saw, all she'd have to say is "No, that's not my name." The latter reason had been the most important, but she'd been caught off guard after finally coming face to face with this guy.

He sat down beside her and went in for a hug.

"You're really pretty," he smiled, obviously trying to sneak a peek down her blouse. Seeing him up close for the first time, suddenly he didn't seem so dreamy as before.

"So what do I call you," Muffy asked nervously. "Is Romeo your real name?" She didn't really care about the answer. She was just making small talk, anything to keep the conversation from going in the direction that it usually went when they talked on the phone; anything to stop it from getting more personal. He looked so creepy and lecherous up close.

"Romeo is good enough," he said while staring at the latte in her hands. "Got any cash on you?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Go buy me one of those coffee freezer things. I'm broke," the man said, putting his hands behind his head and both feet up on the chair next to him.

"That's it!" Muffy practically slammed her cup on the table. "No car, no fashion sense, no money—so no _honey_! I don't do charity work." She pushed herself away from the table and started making her way out of the café, not caring worth a damn that people were staring. No way was she going to keep playing nice with a guy who was too cheap to buy his own coffee, especially one so much older than her. It was bad enough that he had come to meet her dressed like a derelict.

The DJ followed Muffy out onto the street, yelling something or other at her, but she didn't bother to turn around. She didn't want him remembering her face in case they ever ran into each other on the street again and he decided to confront her. Besides, the less she remembered about him the better. Their rendezvous had ended just as soon as it began. If only Francine had known that…

* * *

"So?" Binky questioned as Francine walked back to the car. Her cell phone had run out of batteries and Binky hadn't brought his. She tried calling Muffy from a pay phone, but for some reason, the other girl just wasn't answering.

"No, she won't pick up. I hope nothing's wrong."

"It's past 10 o'clock, Francine; your curfew."

"I know…" the girl exhaled frustratedly. They'd been all over town looking for their friend in every coffee and tea shop that they could think of.

Binky moved the clutch from park into drive once she climbed back in the car.

"I'll take you home now."

"Oh, my god!" Francine perked up while fastening her seatbelt. "Look!" she pointed across the street. Rattles was parked in the drive thru of a Jiffy Burger while Muffy rode shotgun.

"I'm on it," Binky replied, rushing to make the restaurant's parking lot before their friends pulled off. He flagged down the other car just as it was exiting the drive thru. Rattles parked right beside him with a smile.

"Hey, man. How's it going?" the other boy called out. He and Binky talked while Francine beckoned Muffy out of the car to someplace more private.

"Where were you all night?" the girl asked. "Were you with that DJ guy?"

Muffy closed her eyes with a sigh.

"You were right, okay? _Romeo_, and I use that name loosely, had nothing going for him. He was just a sponge."

"I'm just glad you're alright. I was so worried about you."

"Why?"

"Why? Because this guy could've been a total nut case, a whack job, a child molester looking for his next human sacrifice to the gods of pedophilia. That's _why_!"

"You worry too much."

"Do I?" Francine asked rhetorically.

"Yes. I'm okay aren't I? I can handle myself, alright? I'm not one of those typical teenage girls who gets involved with the wrong guy and then doesn't know what to do. Maybe if I were Fern or Jenna that might have happened. But this is Muffy Crosswire you're talking to," the girl said while staring her friend straight in the eye. Francine had to give it to her; if there was anyone who always seemed to act like they knew exactly what they were doing and exactly what the outcome would be…it was Muffy. "So stop you're worrying, okay?" the other girl nodded in response. "Anyway, call me later," the redhead smiled. The two girls hugged and got back to their separate vehicles.

"You alright?" Binky asked once Francine got back into the car. Her head hurt. Between a combination of the spiked punch and not knowing whether to trust her own instincts or Muffy's, she just felt confused.

"Binky," she started. "Do you think I act too…too much like a kid, not grown up enough?"

"How do you mean?"

"Drinking and meeting older guys, all that stuff scares me. But girls like Muffy just approach it like it's nothing. Sometimes I feel like she's so brave and I'm so weak. Like—,"

"Don't say that," Binky interrupted. "Don't compare yourself to other people. It'll only drive you crazy."

"But—,"

"Francine, there comes a time when you have to ask yourself; do you wanna live somebody else's life or do you wanna live your own? And if the second option isn't the one you choose…well then, yes. You act too much like a kid. Growing up means learning to live in your own skin, not Muffy's."

Francine's heart ached, but in a good way. She'd really needed to hear those words, but hadn't at all expected them to come from Binky of all people

"Wow…that's really deep of you," she began to smile gently. Seeing her friend in a very different light for the first time.

"Yeah, but don't tell anybody, okay? I like to keep a low profile. If anyone found out that I'm smarter then I look, people might start bothering me all the time like they do to Brain. Poor kid doesn't even have a first name anymore, just _Brain_," Binky cringed while turning on the radio. "Alright, let's get you home, Francine."

The ride back to Francine's apartment had been a peaceful one. It was already way past her curfew, so they just took the long way back and even circled the block a couple of times while singing along to classic rock songs; anything to stall going home. Boy was that girl gonna get it for being out so late.

Finally, Binky pulled up to the curb and looked over at his friend.

"What?" she asked.

"We really shouldn't stall any longer. Can't stay out here forever."

"I know. I'm sorry for keeping you out all night. I know you've got work tomorrow."

"Want me to come up with you? I can help explain to your parents what happened."

"No, no, no," Francine shook her head frantically. "They can't know about this. My mom would call Muffy's mom and our friendship would be toast," she said with conviction. "Anyway, Binky. Thanks for the ride. I'm glad you asked me to come with you to the party."

"Me too," the boy smiled as he watched Francine climb out of his car. "How 'bout I call you later. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, Binky," the girl nodded. "That'd be okay. Goodnight," she waved before turning in the direction of her home. The apartment building seemed to loom over her like that jungle gym, the Tower of Pain at her old elementary school; upon reaching the top, she'd be entering a _world_ of pain.

"Get in here!" Francine's mother hissed before the girl had even gotten the chance to stick her key in the door. "I must've called you a million times!"

"My phone died."

"I'm tired of you coming home late Francine and this is the latest; almost midnight? Are you kidding me? This has got to be the most irresponsible thing you've done to date!"

"I can explain. It's not like that. I…" Francine wrestled with her brain to just come clean. But she couldn't rat on Muffy. Besides, telling on her only meant that the other girl would retaliate by sharing that Francine had gone to a party with alcohol and a boy like Binky Barnes had taken her there"…I just lost track of time. That's all," the girl lied.

"Go to your room. I'm too tired to even punish you right now."

The woman's daughter closed her eyes with regret.

"I'm sorry."

"Just _go_."

Francine laid in bed, listening to her parents argue through the wall about how to discipline her the next week. Dad was such a softy, but Mom…well, that was another story.

"God, please don't let them kill me," she whispered teasingly. Normally, she wouldn't be in such high spirits after such a tough night. But something had her feeling pretty good about herself. She kept thinking about what Binky had told her in the car. "Growing up means learning to live in _my own_ skin, huh? Okay, Binky. I'll try it," she said to herself and rolled over onto one side. "Good night, God."

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All hail Marc Brown, creator of the Arthur series.

* * *

It was the first day back at school since the party. During lunch hour, Muffy caught up with Francine on a shaded bench.

"So what happened between you and Binky Saturday night? You never called to tell me," the redhead asked after taking a seat.

"I'm grounded. 'Can't use the phone."

"Why?"

"I stayed out way past curfew, by like two hours."

"Wow," Muffy smirked. "Must've been worth it for you to stay out that long. I want details!"

"There aren't any. We spent most of the time driving around looking for _you_."

"Why didn't you just call me? I could've told you where I was."

"I did call. Like every 15 minutes."

"Wait, was it from a payphone?" Francine nodded. "Oh, that was _you_? I didn't pick up 'cause I thought it that Romeo guy trying to get back with me after I left the coffee shop."

"Muffy, do us both a favor and don't meet with anymore guys you don't know. We're just kids, not adults. This whole blind date thing could get ugly."

"Believe me, I learned my lesson."

"Really?"

"Oh, definitely. I mean speaking of ugly; you should've seen the clothes he was wearing. I was so embarrassed. I felt like I was on a date with a homeless person. Blind dates are definitely not for me."

"_That's_ what you learned?" the other girl asked rhetorically. Even in the face of danger, Muffy was still her old superficial self. "Whatever, I'm just glad you aren't gonna be meeting up with anymore guys you've never met before."

"Oops," Muffy grinned while unwrapping a turkey sandwich.

"Wait, don't there's another? What do you do, just sit up talking to different disc jockeys all night?"

"No, it's not a DJ. He requested me as a friend on Smilebook. We haven't made any plans yet 'cause he's going to prep school in England, but he should be coming back to the U.S. for summer vacation. We might be able to meet then. Oh, and then there's this other guy from Crown city. He's cute, but I saw a picture of his car and, ewe, it's so cheap looking," Muffy wrinkled her nose.

Francine just stared for a moment, feeling like she barely even knew Muffy anymore.

"So what do you plan to do with these guys? I mean, they all sound so much older. They're gonna expect stuff, if you know what I mean."

"Well, if we like each other then whatever happens, happens. It's not like I can get pregnant."

"Oh, please. How would you know?"

"Because my mom already put me on the pill," Muffy answered nonchalantly and continued to sift through her lunch bag. "Crap. Did you bring any napkins?"

Handing over a clean paper towel, Francine didn't know what to say after that. How long had Muffy been on birth control? Was this normal for girls their age? It had to be if her mother was in on it. But something still felt so unsettling about the entire idea.

* * *

Six days into being grounded for life, Francine's mother began wondering if she'd been too hard on the girl. For the time being, her daughter was responsible for maintaining all of the household chores and her curfew had been reduced to 8 o'clock. Of course, that was on top of losing both her phone and internet privileges outside of homework.

"I don't like punishing you, ya know?" Francine's mother said abruptly. She was standing in the threshold of the kitchen, watching her daughter scrub pans.

"Yeah, I know," Francine smiled. Being grounded sucked, but she would rather deal with a mother who breathed down her neck than one who just seemed to give up, like Muffy's mom. And the revelation made her feel good inside.

"Discipline is the foundation for raising a successful adult. I can't let you just do whatever you want willy-nilly. That would only set you up for failure when it's time for you to go out into the real world. People don't care about you out there," the woman finished softly.

"Mom."

"Yes?"

"If you knew someone who maybe needed more discipline in their life, but they weren't getting it…what do you think is the worst that could happen?"

"Why? Are you in trouble?"

"No, just hypothetically."

"Well, it depends on the situation, so I can't really answer that. But if I had to guess…I'd say wandering through life aimlessly and making one big mistake after another until one of them is so big that it can't be undone. That would be the worst in my opinion, because maybe a lot of those mistakes could have been avoided if only that person had gotten some discipline, some guidance"

At that point, Francine wanted to spill the beans. She wanted to spill every worry she had for Muffy and everything that had been going on. But what could her mother really do to help? Call Muffy's mom, the same woman who was giving her 14 year old daughter birth control pills. No, that wouldn't solve anything.

"Thanks, Mom," the girl replied.

"No problem, but you missed a spot," her mother gestured to a corner in the baking pan.

"Oh, Mom…"

"Keep scrubbing, Frankie. Keep scrubbing."

It took another hour, but eventually Francine was done cleaning the house. After a little homework, she settled down onto her bed and looked at the clock.

"7:30," she moaned to herself. There'd be no going out tonight; not even to the Sugar Bowl for a milkshake with Arthur, which had become sort of a Friday night ritual since Junior High. Besides, she was sure he'd rather being having that milkshake with Molly anyhow.

"Mom, could I use the phone to call Catherine. It's important," the girl asked upon finding her mother in the living room, sewing.

"Alright. But _only_ Catherine."

"Thanks."

Francine shut her bedroom door and dialed her sister's number.

"Hello?" the older girl answered.

"Catherine, it's me."

"This better be important. I'm going out to karaoke tonight and I don't wanna be late."

"Well…" the girl began. She told her sister everything about the party she'd gone to with Binky and Muffy and how worrying about the redhead was beginning to wear her out. "I know you don't have all the answers and you probably can't help me. But I just really needed to get this whole mess off of my chest.

"Hm…I think I have an idea, but I need time to work all of the kinks out."

"Is it gonna make her mad? I don't want her telling Mom about—"

"Don't worry about that, okay? I'll take care of it. Anyway, I've gotta go," the older girl explained. "Oh, and if mom makes any more of that vegetarian lasagna could you tell her to save me some for once?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"

"Alright, bye Frankie."

* * *

"You can kill it if you're done," Rattles said to Muffy, passing the cigarette over to her one last time. She sucked in the smoke and exhaled it through her nose. Smoking wasn't something she actually liked just yet, but it certainly made her feel older, more experienced.

"Thanks for the lift home," the girl said as they pulled up to her house. She smashed the remainder of the cigarette in the car's dusty ash tray.

"Can I get a kiss?" asked Rattles as he leaned over.

"Dream on. You're about two months too late for me to be even remotely interested," Muffy said while climbing out of the car. "See ya!" she winked and skipped off to her front door, smiling at the way she could still see Rattles staring at her through his refection in the living room window.

Just like clockwork, Muffy sat down at her computer and logged into her Smilebook account. She smirked at the new friend request that popped up on her screen almost immediately. MrChivalry, was the screenname. The tiny photo next to it looked promising and after clicking on it, she immediately accepted him as a new friend. He was very good looking. After reading his profile, she discerned that he was an artist living in a loft downtown.

"How chic…" she said to herself. Forget Londoner2K, Salsaman, Mars4Pluto and every other guy she had already added to her list of friends. This new one was much better and according to the smiley face at the corner of her screen, he was online too!

Muffy began typing a message to MrChivalry when she suddenly received one instead.

"Hey there! Im Darian" he wrote.

"Hi Darian. This is Alice. Luv Ur screename BTW…"

"Thanx. U must B mature 4 UR age 2 appreciate it."

"I hear that all the time LOL. Ur cute."

"Your hot…So U live in Elwood City…?"

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All hail Marc Brown, creator of the Arthur series.

* * *

Francine poured another packet of sugar into her glass of ice tea as Catherine stared onward. They were out having lunch together for the first time in weeks.

"Do you _want_ diabetes or something?" her older sister asked while pinning a few more lettuce leaves with her fork.

"Anyway," Francine said to change the subject. "I just want this thing with Muffy resolved as soon as possible. I'm really afraid she's gonna get hurt."

"It's already taken care of." Catherine frowned at the look of exhaustion on her sister's face. "Hanging out with someone like Muffy must come with a lot of peer pressure. How are you holding up?"

"Well, for a while I kept feeling like I had to keep up with her and sometimes I still do. I mean, it seems like everybody's growing up a lot faster than I am. It makes me feel like a little kid, makes me feel so naïve; like they all know something that I'm just too immature to understand."

"Oh, please. You're the most grown up Freshman I've ever met. When I was your age I probably wouldn't have had the guts to intervene for a friend like you're doing right now. I'd probably be too scared of looking like a dork or something. You should be proud of yourself."

"Cathrerine…do you think I'm ready for a boyfriend though? Not the way Muffy wants a boyfriend, but just a guy I can spend time with and go to the movies…all that kinda stuff?"

"Oh, boy. I'm gonna get in trouble for this one," the older girl sighed to herself. "Personally, I think you've got a good head on your shoulders and you'd be confident enough to set certain boundaries if you started dating right now. But I'm not the one you're going to have to convince."

"Yeah…" Francine said as she slumped in her seat, thinking of what her parents' reactions might be."

"But if you wanna start dating Binky, you should talk to Dad first. He knows him pretty well."

"Binky? Who said anything about Binky?" the other girl straightened up quickly. "I still like Arthur."

"You're a bad liar, ya know," Catherine laughed. "It's okay to like someone who's a little rough around the edges. He's really not a bad guy from what you've been telling me. And did you ever stop to think that maybe you only like Arthur because you've known him for so long. He's familiar, he's a safe choice. He's also a nerd."

"Hey!" Francine tried not to smile at the insult.

"I calls it like I sees it," the older girl teased. "Does he still wear the goofy circle glasses with wide rims?"

"Nuh-uh," Francine shook her head. "Now that Wilbur Rabbit wears the square kind, so does he."

"Wilbur Rabbit? You mean Bionic Bunny? Good grief. Looks like you dodged a bullet, Francine. Molly can have him!"

* * *

Muffy picked through her closet anxiously. Nothing that she owned seemed to be good enough for her date that night. Just as she first thought, Darian had turned out to be local modern artist and he was hosting an exhibit that she was specially invited to.

Just like with DJ Romeo, she'd lied about her age, this time pretending to be 17. Her make-up was already done, but she needed the perfect outfit to pull her entire look together and give that _adult_ feel to it.

Then, like ray of light, the right dress called to her. It was the blue one she'd bought near the movie theatre; elegant, flattering, and sexy. Slipping into it, she found a pair of sliver heels that would compliment that fabric perfectly.

"Bailey," she said into the intercom that was connected to his personal room. "I'll be ready to leave in ten minutes."

During the limo ride over, Muffy could hardly keep still. According to what she knew about Darian, he was 27, owned his loft, and worked out of it as a photographer. That's where he'd be hosting his exhibit that night, but she was directed to come ahead of time so that they could get to know each other better first. She couldn't wait to start meeting all of his socialite friends, rubbing elbows with cultured, graceful people like herself. No more fake Romeos.

"We've arrived, Ms. Muffy," said Bailey through the intercom. He parked at the curb and got out to open the girl's car door.

"Thank you."

"Will this be all, Ms. Muffy?"

"Yes, Bailey. I'll call when I'm ready to go home," she said while walking up to the entrance of a large building. After entering a code, she was buzzed in the front door and took an elevator to her left. She off boarded on the third floor, making her way down a long hallway and kept an eye out for the right unit number. "416, there it is," she said to herself. The door was wide open and she worried that other guests had already started arriving. She was a little behind schedule after all. "Darian," Muffy called out after entering the loft. No one appeared to be present.

"Are you Alice?" asked a deep voice. Muffy turned around to see a tall man with broad shoulders and a square jaw standing in the threshold behind her. He stepped inside and locked the door. Her heart sank. "Looks like you're in big trouble."

"I…I am?" the girl tried to ask. Her voice sounded so feeble, even to her own ears. She was scared and struggling to think of a way out.

"Yeah, 'cause you're brother's waiting for you in the kitchen." Muffy's blood went from hot to cold within an instant. "Chip, she's here!"

The sound of footsteps ensued and a redhead who looked a lot like Muffy turned the corner. He folded his arms.

"Chip?" his sister asked. She looked as if she wanted to both hug him and kick at the same time. "But how, how did you know?"

"A little birdie told me," the young man replied sarcastically. Thanks to Catherine, he was well aware of what the younger Crosswire had been up to and he wasn't happy about it. "Thanks, Greg. I'll take it from here," he said to the other man. Muffy had suspected that Greg looked familiar. Then she remembered that he had been one of Chip's roommates during college.

"Alright, I'll be in the workshop if you need me," the man said and gave the two siblings some privacy.

"So you're Darian, huh?" the girl asked. She felt so embarrassed. "This was so mean, Chip," she started to cry. "Why couldn't you just talk to me about this if you were worried?"

"Oh, you mean like your friend Francine tried to do? Your _best _friend?" Muffy looked surprised to hear her brother say that. "Do you know how lucky you are to have people around who care about whether or not you wind up on the 10 o'clock news?"

"He just seemed so nice and, and…"

"All predators seem _nice_ at first. If they were mean you might not show up. Duh!"

"Well, who was the guy in all those photos? I knew I should've asked to see him on webcam."

"What does it matter who the guy was? Bad guys come in all shapes and sizes; they aren't all fat and ugly with hair on their knuckles," Chip finished as Muffy continued to wipe tears away from her face. "Anyway, I should get you home. There really is going to be an exhibited hosted here tonight and I wanna get back before it starts."

"Chip…don't tell Mom about this, okay?"

"I won't if you don't make me. I won't if you don't ever do this again."

"I promise, just…just don't tell her."

* * *

After chip dropped her off, Muffy entered the house sulking.

Her mother was standing in the foyer, arms crossed and a look of anger slathered across her face.

"Go wipe all that make-up off of your face and then come back out here. We need to talk," the woman said.

"Yes, ma'am…"

* * *

It was 7:15 that night and Francine was staring out of her bedroom window at the cars down below.

"What, no plans tonight?" the girl heard her mother say as she entered the room.

"It's almost 8 o'clock. New curfew, remember?"

"Well, I talked to Catherine today. She told me everything about the Muffy situation."

"Everything?"

"Evvverything," the woman replied taking a seat. "Anyway, I'm not mad at you for coming home late that night anymore. I understand now that you were just looking out for a friend. Oh, and I had a talk with Mrs. Crosswire."

"Bet she didn't care about what was going on, huh?"

"Oh, on the contrary. I asked her about the birth control thing and she said the doctor prescribed it for an entirely different medical condition, not so Muffy could start collecting boyfriends."

"Thank, god," Francine exhaled deeply. "I thought I was going crazy or something."

"Well, she also said that things have been pretty hectic at the house for a while. Did you know Muffy's parents may be getting divorced soon?"

"No."

"Well, her mother thinks its part of the reason she's been acting out. But that's not to say she won't go unpunished. She's gonna have to earn back a lot of trust from both of her parents. You on the other hand, deserve a little more. You're punishment's over and your new curfew is 10:30."

"Really? Oh, my god!" Francine jumped up.

"And not a minute over, okay?"

"No problem," the girl smiled. "Hey, is it okay if I go out for a couple of hours tonight?"

"Be my guest. You're not on restriction anymore. I officially un-ground you."

"Is it okay if I spend it with Binky?"

"Binky…oh yeah, I almost forgot about that part," Francine's mother rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I trust him." A strong scent entered the room just as the smoke detector went off. "And make him take you to a Jiffy Burger or something. I think your father just burned our dinner."

* * *

Two months later…

Francine held onto the hem of her lavender gown while climbing out of Binky's car. He pulled her up with one hand and they began walking toward the school gymnasium. It was the night of the homecoming dance and probably the last time anyone would ever catch her in high heels for a while.

The decorations inside were pretty cheesy; a standard disco ball hung in the center of the room and some crappy theme like Hawaiian Paradise decorated the walls, but being in good company was enough for everyone to enjoy themselves.

After a few songs worth of dancing, Francine pulled Muffy to the side.

"Hey, you wanna get some air?"

"Definitely, this dress is so hot," the other girl complained while shrugging up a pink spaghetti strap that had fallen. "Let me just tell my date." She turned to the side and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, Buster, I'm going outside with Francine, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

Breathing in the night air, the two girls began to cool off.

"Hot in there, huh?" asked a stray voice.

"Hi, Molly," Francine and Muffy both said in unison.

"Hey Muffy, can I bum a cigarette off you?"

"No. I don't smoke anymore. It causes wrinkles, ya know," the redhead smiled.

"Bummer," Molly shrugged. "Well, I'm gonna go bug Rattles for one. See ya," she explained, before walking off.

Suddenly, a familiar song started up, the same one Muffy had gone crazy over at the last party they'd met up at.

"Shall we?" Francine asked. Muffy pulled at her arm and they rushed inside to find their dates.

"_You got to listen to your heart, listen to the beat. Listen to the rhythm, the rhythm of the street…" _the song played on.

It had been a good night and Francine was feeling like a good friend for helping Muffy when things seemed to be spinning out of control. She felt proud and relieved, but best of all, she felt really _mature_.

* * *

So whatever happened to the real kids that this story is based off of? Most of us have lost touch. Last time I checked, "Francine" has transferred to university. She was the only one to ever leave "Elwood City," shortly after this entire incident happened. The others are working their way through junior college or plan to. "Muffy" still acts impulsively and she's had to learn most of her lessons the hard way, but at least she's learning. "DJ Romeo" was never heard from again, aside from on the radio...

Well, that's all Folks. Thanks for reading!


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